Agenda item

To consider a report which outlines the rationale for the Council to petition against the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill and the proposed approach to member engagement in preparing and progressing a petition.

(Report to follow)

The Committee considered a report which outlined the process the Council needed to follow to petition against the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill to enable the Council to negotiate enhancements and mitigations for the benefit of Cheshire East residents and businesses. The report also outlined the proposed approach to member engagement in preparing and progressing a petition. The Committee was asked to make a recommendation to full Council.

Members asked that future reports contain clearer and more detailed maps and plans.

Members agreed on the importance of clear communications on this matter so as not to give an inadvertently misleading impression to the public regarding the Council’s position on HS2. In this respect, it was suggested that the term ‘petition against’ should perhaps be reconsidered.

Councillor S Akers Smith referred to paragraph 4.5 of the report relating to HS2 Phase 2a and asked if the mitigation could be increased by £100,000 to fund a feasibility study for the Great North Way. The HS2 Project Director undertook to investigate and provide a written response to Councillor Akers Smith and the Committee.

Councillor C Browne reported that on Tuesday he had made a presentation to Ministers regarding the Crewe Hub Station and had also shared the presentation with local MPs.

On a related matter, Councillor J Clowes referred to the Government launch of the Great British Railways HQ Competition for Sites which commenced on 5^th February. She asked for

1. an update on progress made by the Council since the Notice of Motion was raised at the October Council meeting.
2. a progress reporting strategy for members, to assure members that a robust and convincing Expression of Interest was ready for submission by the due date of 16th March.
3. a proposed strategy for raising public awareness of their role in supporting the bid in May (subject to Crewe being selected to the short-list).

The Chief Executive responded that the criteria for bidding for the Great British Railway had been announced last week. She outlined the six criteria. Part of the process would involve a non-binding online public vote. The Council had been working with the Local Enterprise Partnership and neighbouring authorities on a joint campaign to promote Crewe, and had taken the opportunity to raise the matter at a meeting with Ministers last week and with local MPs. The Council with its partners was in the process of finalising a PR campaign. Expressions of interest were due by 16^th March and a shortlist would be announced in May. The decision would be made during the summer. Briefings on the campaign and bidding process would be arranged for members.

RESOLVED

That Council be recommended to

1.    support the principles of the High Speed Rail (Crewe - Manchester) Bill;

2.    resolve that it is expedient to petition againstthe High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill introduced in the 2021-22 session of Parliament;

3.    delegate authority to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Chair of the Corporate Policy Committee and the Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee, to take all necessary and expedient steps to give effect to the resolution above;

4.    delegate to the Director of Governance and Compliance  the authority to seal any necessary documents and confirm that Sharpe Pritchard LLP (Parliamentary Agents) be authorised to deposit and, if necessary, sign the Petition of the Council against the Bill;

5.    delegate authority to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Chair of the Corporate Policy Committee and the Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee, to withdraw any aspect of the Council’s Petitition against the Bill if this is no longer the approprite course of action, and to settle or agree any basis for the withdrawal; and

6.    note the member engagement in the preparation and progress of the Bill  as outlined in Section 7 of the report.